(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a seat belt anchor mechanism suitable for use with an occupant-restraining seat belt system so that the anchor mechanism serves to transmit the tensile force of an associated webbing to the side of the body of an associated vehicle in the event of an emergency where a tensile load of at least a predetermined value is applied to the webbing and the anchor mechanism normally allows the webbing and an associated buckle to move together with an associated seat when the seat is slid in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There have generally been known seat belt anchor mechanisms equipped individually with an anchor stay defining a plurality of interlocking teeth, fixed on the side of an associated vehicle and having an elongated shape, a base plate displaceable as a unitary member together with an associated seat along the anchor stay when the seat is slid back and forth and fastened to an associated occupant-restraining webbing, and an interlocking means fixed on the base plate for engagement with any one of the interlocking teeth in the event of an emergency. In such conventional mechanisms, a structure is incorporated that the interlocking teeth and the interlocking means such as a pin are arranged with an interval therebetween in order to normally maintain the interlocking teeth and interlocking means out of engagement. Therefore, the interlocking means is always exposed. Accordingly, the interlocking teeth of the anchor stay and the interlocking means such as a pin tend to engage with each other when the individual parts of the seat belt anchor mechanism are mounted on its associated vehicle and seat, and the efficiency of their mounting work is impaired.
When some deviations are involved in the dimensions of the individual parts or their mounting, there is a danger that the interlocking teeth and interlocking means are rendered unreleasable and remain in an engaged state from the beginning.